A specific-pathogen-free BALB/c mouse model of Candida albicans gastrointestinal colonization following antibiotic treatment

Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovipneumoniae) is a respiratory pathogen associated with the development of mild to moderate respiratory disease in domestic lambs and severe pneumonia outbreaks in wild ruminants such as bighorn sheep. However, whether M. ovipneumoniae by itself causes clinical respiratory disease in domestic sheep in the absence of secondary bacterial pathogens is still a matter of debate. The goal of our study was to better understand the role of M. ovipneumoniae as a respiratory pathogen in domestic sheep and to explore potential antibiotic treatment approaches. Therefore, we inoculated four-month-old, specific-pathogen-free lambs with field isolates of M. ovipneumoniae and monitored the lambs for eight weeks for colonization with the bacteria, M. ovipneumoniae-specific antibodies, clinical symptoms, and cellular and molecular correlates of lung inflammation. After eight weeks, lambs were treated with the macrolide antibiotic gamithromycin and observed for an additional four weeks. Stable colonization of the upper respiratory tract with M. ovipneumoniae was established in all four M. ovipneumoniae-inoculated, but in none of the four mock-infected lambs. All M. ovipneumoniae-infected lambs developed a robust antibody response to M. ovipneumoniae within 2 weeks. However, we did not observe significant clinical symptoms or evidence of lung damage or inflammation in any of the infected lambs. Interestingly, treatment with gamithromycin failed to reduce M. ovipneumoniae colonization. These observations indicate that, in the absence of co-factors, M. ovipneumoniae causes asymptomatic colonization of the upper respiratory tract of that is resistant to clearance by the host immune response as well as by gamithromycin treatment in domestic lambs.

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Experimental infection of specific-pathogen-free domestic lambs with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae causes asymptomatic colonization of the upper airways that is resistant to antibiotic treatment

Veterinary Microbiology ◽

10.1016/j.vetmic.2022.109334 ◽

2022 ◽

pp. 109334

Author(s):

Thea Johnson ◽

Kerri Jones ◽

B. Tegner Jacobson ◽

Julia Schearer ◽

Noah Adams ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antibiotic Treatment ◽

Experimental Infection ◽

Specific Pathogen Free ◽

Upper Airways ◽

Specific Pathogen ◽

Mycoplasma Ovipneumoniae

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Laboratory Animal Research Centre (Larc) “A Specific Pathogen Free Rodent Facility” - Covid – 19 Pandemic Response Plan

University of the Future: Re-Imagining Research and Higher Education ◽

10.29117/quarfe.2020.0285 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Muralitharan Shanmugakonar ◽

Vijay Kanth Govindharajan ◽

Kavitha Varadharajan ◽

Hamda Al-Naemi

Keyword(s):

Laboratory Animal ◽

Animal Research ◽

Research Centre ◽

Functional Requirement ◽

Specific Pathogen Free ◽

Specific Pathogen ◽

Response Plan ◽

Pandemic Response ◽

Operational Plan

Laboratory Animal Research Centre (LARC) has developed an early emergency operational plan for COVID-19 pandemic situation. Biosafety and biosecurity measures were planned and implemented ahead of time to check the functional requirement to prevent the infection. Identified necessary support for IT, transport, procurement, finance, admin and research to make the operations remotely and successfully.

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Curcumin reduces enteric isoprostane 8-iso-PGF2α and prostaglandin GF2α in specific pathogen-free Leghorn chickens challenged with Eimeria maxima

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-90679-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Victor M. Petrone-Garcia ◽

Raquel Lopez-Arellano ◽

Gabriela Rodríguez Patiño ◽

Miriam Aide Castillo Rodríguez ◽

Daniel Hernandez-Patlan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Broiler Chickens ◽

Solid Phase ◽

Oxidation Products ◽

Specific Pathogen Free ◽

Post Challenge ◽

Eimeria Maxima ◽

Lipid Oxidation Products ◽

Challenge Control ◽

Specific Pathogen

AbstractThe purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate and determine the concentration of prostaglandin GF2α (PGF2α) and isoprostane 8‐iso‐PGF2α in plasma and intestine of specific pathogen-free (SPF) Leghorn chickens challenged with Eimeria maxima, with or without dietary supplementation of curcumin using solid‐phase microextraction and ultra‐performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Eighty 1-day-old male SPF chickens were randomly allocated to one of four groups with four replicates (n = 5 chickens/replicate). Groups consisted of: (1) Control (no challenge), (2) Curcumin (no challenge), (3) Eimeria maxima (challenge), and (4) Eimeria maxima (challenge) + curcumin. At day 28 of age, all chickens in the challenge groups were orally gavaged with 40,000 sporulated E. maxima oocysts. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in the groups regardless of the treatment or challenge with E. maxima. Enteric levels of both isoprostane 8‐iso‐PGF2α and PGF2α at 7 days and 9 days post-challenge were significantly increased (P < 0.01) compared to the non-challenge control chickens. Interestingly, the enteric levels of both isoprostane 8‐iso‐PGF2α and PGF2α at 7 days post-challenge were significantly reduced in chickens fed curcumin, compared to control chickens challenge with E. maxima. At 9 days post-challenge, only levels of isoprostane 8‐iso‐PGF2α in the enteric samples were significantly reduced in chickens challenged with E. maxima supplemented with curcumin, compared with E. maxima challenge chickens. No differences of isoprostane 8‐iso‐PGF2α or PGF2α were observed in plasma at both days of evaluation. Similarly, no significant differences were observed between the challenge control or chickens challenge with E. maxima and supplemented with curcumin at both times of evaluation. The results of this pilot study suggests that the antioxidant anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin reduced the oxidative damage and subsequent intestinal mucosal over-production of lipid oxidation products. Further studies to confirm and extend these results in broiler chickens are required.

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Measurement of the Intestinal pH in Mice under Various Conditions Reveals Alkalization Induced by Antibiotics

Antibiotics ◽

10.3390/antibiotics10020180 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 180

Author(s):

Kouki Shimizu ◽

Issei Seiki ◽

Yoshiyuki Goto ◽

Takeshi Murata

Keyword(s):

Antibiotic Treatment ◽

High Protein Diet ◽

Intestinal Bacteria ◽

High Protein ◽

Protein Diet ◽

Germ Free ◽

Treatment Regimens ◽

Ph Values ◽

Specific Pathogen ◽

The Stability

The intestinal pH can greatly influence the stability and absorption of oral drugs. Therefore, knowledge of intestinal pH is necessary to understand the conditions for drug delivery. This has previously been measured in humans and rats. However, information on intestinal pH in mice is insufficient despite these animals being used often in preclinical testing. In this study, 72 female ICR mice housed in SPF (specific pathogen-free) conditions were separated into nine groups to determine the intestinal pH under conditions that might cause pH fluctuations, including high-protein diet, ageing, proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment, several antibiotic treatment regimens and germ-free mice. pH was measured in samples collected from the ileum, cecum and colon, and compared to control animals. An electrode, 3 mm in diameter, enabled accurate pH measurements with a small amount of gastrointestinal content. Consequently, the pH values in the cecum and colon were increased by high-protein diet, and the pH in the ileum was decreased by PPI. Drastic alkalization was induced by antibiotics, especially in the cecum and colon. The alkalized pH values in germ-free mice suggested that the reduction in the intestinal bacteria caused by antibiotics led to alkalization. Alkalization of the intestinal pH caused by antibiotic treatment was verified in mice. We need further investigations in clinical settings to check whether the same phenomena occur in patients.

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